“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid
We believe empathy is one of the most important ingredients enabling effectiveness and so we connected with some amazing folks to ask them about the conditions that allowed them to develop into such empathic leaders.
Ariana Gastelum
During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, I started working as a receptionist and eventual financial coordinator for a specialty and emergency pet hospital. At the time, smaller and general practices were closing their doors, and all of the pets that needed care would come to ER instead. Wait times were several hours, and waitlists for appointments were over two months out. Read more>>
Sara Sofia Bousiali
I think being kind and understanding is a big part of being smart, especially when it comes to understanding people’s feelings. It’s a quality that can make the world a better place, and it’s something we can get better at as we grow up. Read more>>
Jordyn Jackson
Having provided humanitarian aid to nine countries worldwide, I have witnessed the hardships youth my age face. In this regard, global support is a critical component of my company’s mission. As a result of cultural immersion, I’ve become aware of our ability to contribute to local and international solutions. As young activists, we have found ways to make a more significant impact together. Read more>>
Christian “Kindafye” Robinson
Having endured a period of being bullied in my past, I can confidently say that it has played a significant role in cultivating my strong sense of empathy. The pain and isolation I experienced during that time allowed me to truly understand the struggles and emotional turmoil that others may be going through. It’s compelled me to become more expressive in my thoughts, feelings, and personality as I realized the importance of being understood, validated, and verbal. Read more>>
Gina Rogers
I was a very awkward little girl. I had this crazy mop of unruly, curly, red hair in a sea of perfectly coiffed blondes. My mom had no idea what to do with it, so always cut it short. I was super skinny, had a giant overbite, glasses and was just awkward all around, The red Afro I sported was the icing on the cake. Read more>>
Aaron “JacQuar 937” Smith
Growing up in Dayton, OH, there were many conditions that taught me empathy. The biggest being remembering how it felt being lost young and unsure on how to maneuver into my industry with no real pipeline, guidance or camaraderie in my community, all things that felt necessary to see the success I saw for myself. This industry makes you claw your way out the dirt (esp in the black community) which makes you build an ego. Read more>>
Dr, Kelly Frank
I was a pelvic health physical therapist before getting pregnant and having my first child. During my first pregnancy, I witnessed and experienced what being a pregnant woman in the American healthcare system was like, and it was eye opening. I remember that was the time that I developed a course about the 4th trimester, as no single provider I saw – midwife, OB, DO, mentioned much about what would be happeneing to my body during the end of pregnancy or after delivery. Read more>>
